Daniel j



D- J. TITTLE.

Car Coupling.

' Patented Nov. 27, 1866.

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IMPROVED CAR GGUPLING.

DANIEL J. TITTLE, OF ALBANY, YORK. Letters Patent No. 60,092, dated November 27, 1866.

SPECIFICATION.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERNi Be it known that I, DANIEL J. TITTLE, of Albany, in the State of New York, have invented and made a certain new and useful improvement in Couplings for Railroad Cars; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the said invention, reference being had to the annexed drawing, making part of this specification, wherein-'- I Figure 1 is a plan representing the adjacent ends of car platforms with my improved coupling applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a plan of the coupling and draught bars interlocked.

Figure 3 is a plan of the head of the draught bar; and

Figure 4 is a side view of the same.

Similar marks of reference denote the same parts.- i

The nature of my said invention consists in a horizontal spring coupling and draught bar having a doubl hook-shaped end to take a similar hook on the adjoining car or platform; and counected with said draught bar is a rack operated upon by a pinion or segment to draw one hook away from the other by moving said draught bar horizontally, and against the action of one of its springs; and I fit the inclined or hook-shaped heads of the draught bars so that they may be connected with the ordinary coupling link when contiguous to a car not con taining my improvement. By this construction the cars couple themselves by their simply running together, and therisk of injuryto the attendant is entirely avoided, as there is no link or other moving device to be handled in coupling the cars, and the brakeman can uncouple the cars while standing on the platform whenever one car is to be disconnected from another. In case of accident or running off the track, the couplings will dis-- connect, and thereby lessen the risk of injury resulting from the cars being firmly linked together, as now usual. 3 In the drawing, a represents the framework, and 6 b the wheels of any car or platform. cis my draught bar,

fitted with the spring e, of rubber or metal, at its inner end behind, 'the beam d, of the platform. The bare may also have'a spring in front of' the beam a, to act as a bumper, in the same manner as the usual draught bars. i is the head of the draught bar, 0, which is retained in a central position by the mutual pressure of the springs, ZZ,

' which also permit it to move to one side or the other. This head is pointed, and is provided with two hooking shoulders, 72 h, as is shown in figs. -1 and 3. Vertically it is broad and square on the end, and is provided with p a slot, 0, as showii in fig. 4. When two cars, each provided with these coupling bars, are brought together, the

pointed ends of the heads, 2', meet as shown in fig. 1. If they continue to move toward each other the bars, a, i it 1 are mutually pressedaside, and the heads t, slide past each other on one side or the other, until the shoulder, h, of one head engages behind the shoulder, h, of the other, so that the two cars are securely coupled together.

These s rin s, l, are attached to the o os ite sides of the drau ht bars b bolts, so as to be re laced if broken, and

P PP g y P the springs enter and rest against the ends of the mortise or box in the end beam or head block of the car platform within which the draught bar, a, is confined, and tend to keep the draught bars centrally in line with the platform; hence the hooks cannot become disconnected when interlocked, becauseone or the other of the springs is compressed by the draught bars being slightly out of line, and thereby the hooks, h, cannot be separated except by sufliciently powerful mechanism, andthe depth of the hooks and their springs prevents said hook s disconnecting when the cars are turning a curve, or while the care may swing on their trucks from the inequalities of the road. The width of the hooks is sufficient, vertically, to accommodate any differences in height of the .1 platforms, and to prevent the cars disconnecting from inequalities of the road, or in consequence of breaking a wheeler axle. In order to uncouple the cars, I employ the rack, at, having a loose saddle or fork around the draught bar, and extending to one side, guidedand held in place by the bar, n. The rack. bar, m, has racktcet h operated upon by the segment or wheel, at, that has a hand-wheel, p, (shown by red lines,) upon its shaft, so

that the draught bar can be drawn aside horizontally sufliciently to unlock the books h h. The wheel, 12, is under the control of the brakeman, so that the care may be uncoupled by him while standing on the platform. The

faces of these hooks, h it, should be armed with plates of steel, and these may be attached by screws, so that they I can be removed when they have become rounding by wear. When it is required to couple a car fitted with these draught bars, 0, with another car having the ordinary link coupling, the link isplaccd in the slot, 0, andlthe pin, .9, is inserted through a hole provided for-the purpose. When, now, the head. 2', comes in contact with the mouth of the coupling on the other car,'the link passes into its place, but the head cannot slip aside, because the pointed or sharp edge/at the end then meets a square surface instead of a sharply inclined one. At such times the draught bar must also act as a bumper. The wheel, it, should be provided with a ratchct and pawl to hold the (Ii-might bar when drawneside, in order that'cars or portions of trains standing on a track may be prevented from coupling in ease a, train is booked and comes in contact with them.

My improved coupling is strong, cheep, durable, and prevents risk of injury to the'person in coupling the cars. Bumper spri-riy s, may be provided'at the ends of the ears, if so desired, to take the pressure when the cars are run together.-

What I oloim, and. desire to secure by Letters Patent, is'

1. The draught bar 0, provided with the head 2', and two hooking shoulders h h, and slot 0, in combination with the springs Z l, and e. v

2. I claim the rack bar 921,, and. segmentn, in combination with the drought her 0, as and for the purposes set forth. v e

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my signature this twelfth day of October, 1856.

DANIEL J. TITTLE. Witnesses GEO. D. WALKER, OHAs- E. SMITH. 

